Though we may love the outdoors, on average, we spend approximately 70% of our lives inside. Buildings have become our natural habitat and have a profound impact on our lives and a great
impact on the environment, both locally and globally. Buildings
account for nearly 40% of total energy use, and our resource consumption and the waste generation attributed to construction of
buildings is also very significant. So campus buildings offer one
of the greatest opportunities for improvement when it comes to
making universities more sustainable.
University building portfolios generally have a varied selection of
new and old buildings. Some of these are heritage listed buildings
â&#x20AC;&#x201C; judged to be of national importance in terms of architectural or
historic interest â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which can make upgrades difficult to implement.
Retrofitting an existing building can often be more cost-effective
than building a new facility, though with existing buildings there
are opportunities to retrofit windows, roof, and heating systems
all of which often have shorter lifespans than the buildings themselves.
Clever design can greatly influence the operational costs once a
building has been erected or retrofitted. Energy and water consumption are obvious areas of focus and monitoring and auditing these will further reduce consumption and create even more
monetary savings. Informing building users how to use the building optimally is fundamental to ensuring that buildings operate to
their peak performance abilities.
The real challenge lies in convincing university management to invest in more sustainable buildings which reduce long term costs.
It is important to understand and effectively communicate the
benefits, which include greater resource efficiency and associated
cost savings, as well as better health and productivity for employees and students.

IARU - Green Guide for Universities – pathways towards sustainability

Green Guide for Universities – IARU pathways towards sustainability developed by 10 leading international universities and the think-tank Sustainia. Targets key issues to address, recommendations and lessons learned when making universities more sustainable. Learn from 23 inspiring real-life cases that have made a difference.